Cross-Cultural Ministries Courses (CCM)

Courses in this section seek to assist individuals to function effectively as Christians in various kinds of cross-cultural ministry situations, particularly in leadership roles which require interactive team work with local leaders.

CCM 490 - Cultural Anthropology (3 hrs.)
CCM 521 - Missional Ecclesiology (3 hrs.)
Note: For CME students only
CCM 550 - Evangelism and Faith Formation(3 hrs.)
A course designed to equip seminarians with the theological and practical foundations of evangelism. Historical patterns of church extension and contemporary strategies will be reviewed. Discipling tools of evangelism for the local church will be pursued. The course will consider the presentation of the uniqueness of Jesus Christ in the midst of pluralism, multi-culturalism and universalism.
CCM 570 - Quranic Arabic (3 hrs.)
CCM 601 - Christian Witness Among Muslims
The religion of Islam has caught the attention of many North Americans as more and more Muslims move 'next door,' and especially since the Persian Gulf War of 1991. And yet, in spite of much public talk about Islam, the religion remains relatively unknown. What's more, many Christians are at a loss as to how to respond to Muslims and their faith. This course is designed to instill in Christians a measure of confidence about the beliefs and practices of Muslims. Students will be nurtured to love and respect Muslims as fascinating people created by God in His image. They will also be trained in how to share the good news of God's love in Jesus with Muslims in appropriate ways. The approach of the course is to gain an accurate and fair knowledge of Islam from its foundational documents, to take a realistic view of current Muslim faith and practice, and to see all through the prism of Jesus' teachings and example of peace.
CCM 602 - Christian Witness Among Sikhs (3 hrs.)
Living in the Greater Vancouver area and Fraser Valley offers Christians the chance to get to know one of the world’s most remarkable Punjabi diaspora communities. Statistics Canada reports 141,900 Sikhs in British Columbia in 2001 out of a Canadian total of 269,000, and projects a Canadian increase of 69% by 2017. Punjabi families live in the neighbourhoods of many churches, and indeed next door to many Christian families. However, differences in culture have meant a lack of human contact between Punjabis and other Canadians. This course provides a greater awareness of Punjabi culture and a basic knowledge of Sikh religious beliefs and practices. From that foundation, class sessions teach witness and ministry skills with the assistance of experienced Indo-Canadian evangelists among Sikhs. Encouragement of existing Punjabi Christian fellowships is another important theme. Course assignments include a practical component of developing relationships with Sikh friends and Punjabi Christians.
CCM 612 - Global Theologies (3 hrs.)
This course seeks to extend the study of theology to the manner in which non-Western communities of Christians endeavour to shape their world by their faith. Special emphasis is given to examining Christology and Soteriology from a cross-cultural perspective, and to the manner by which both Western and non-Western traditions may interact. Also cross-credited at THS 614.
CCM 643 - World Faiths and Ways of Religion (3 hrs.)
This course will examine the historical origins, beliefs, and practices of major world religions with the purpose of analyzing the impact of the worldview generated by each faith group. A general introduction to the study of worldviews will be followed by a structural survey of Animism, Hinduism, Buddhism, Judaism, and Islam. As class interest and time permits, additional studies into other religions may also be undertaken. Class time will be devoted to lectures, videos and discussion. Special emphasis will be given to examining theology and soteriology from a cross-cultural perspective and to the manner by which both Christian and non-Christian traditions may interact. A concluding focus for study will be to gain insights into potential points of contact for mission and ministry in cross-cultural encounters or in pluralistic societies.
Prerequisites: THS 540
CCM 660 - Dynamics of Cross-Cultural Ministry (3 hrs.)
Every culture has its own worldview, values, practices and terms of reference. What would it mean to communicate the gospel of Jesus Christ in diverse cultures in such a way that it could be readily heard and understood as the good news it is? The history of mission - beginning with the accounts of the life of the early church in Acts - offers many stories of Christian attempts to communicate the gospel in culturally-relevant ways. This course is an introduction to a variety of cross-cultural ministries and the principles which serve as their foundation. Various case studies will be considered in order to provide insight into positive and negative experiences in attempts at contextualization. The course will also highlight the traditions and theologies which Christian communities around the world have developed in order to express their faith and worship in meaningful and culturally-appropriate ways.
CCM 661 - Church and World Mission (3 hrs.)
The purpose of this course is to demonstrate that world mission is at the heart of the work of the Body of Christ, the Church. The course will explore the biblical themes relating to the redemptive purposes and missionary concern of God. After anchoring the mission of God in his triune nature, the course will trace hints of mission through the Old Testament, then develop an appreciation of the New Testament as a missionary document. The understanding of mission in this course is that of sharing the gospel in word and deed in areas of major need in the world. But lectures will also include a look at intercultural ministry within western contexts, and a consideration of the present western world as an object of missionary concern. Class sessions will explore themes which make churches hesitate to participate actively in the mission of God, and describe healthy relationships between the sending church and the church in the receiving country.
CCM 662 - Issues in Missions History and Theology (3 hrs.)
Careful reflection on the most important issues of cross-cultural ministry is essential for long-term mission planning and practice. This course challenges students to integrate biblical and theological studies with knowledge of the history of the church and insights from the social sciences. It explores key themes which have shaped the direction of mission development, particularly in the last several centuries. Students are encouraged to think critically about both past and present actions of missionaries and the dominant theologies or philosophies of mission. In order to do this, students become familiar with the mission controversies which raged during the 20th Century in Mainline Protestant and Catholic circles in Europe and North America. They will also learn and consider the missiological contributions of scholars from the two-thirds world. This course assumes a mature reflection and discussion of mission themes. A regular and discerning reading of texts is required, and the mood of class sessions is seminar format.
CCM 663 - History of the Non-Western Church (3 hrs.)
Whose religion is Christianity? The fascinating story which helps answer this question is not well known among western Christians. This course aims to portray the growth of the Church outside of Europe and North America from the New Testament period up to the present. The first part of the course will focus mainly on the spread of the gospel in Asia through the fifteenth century. The second part of the course will trace the growth of the Church in Africa, Latin America, East Europe and Russia, as well as in Asia, up until modern times. This section will include a review of missionary efforts launched from Europe and North America. The methodology of the course is to examine historical situations analytically with a view to discovering factors which hindered or enhanced the spread of the gospel during specific eras, all out of a love for the Church. These discoveries will then be applied to the present work of world mission as Christian cross-cultural workers look to the future.
CCM 666 - Cross-Cultural Leadership (3 hrs.)
The world around us has become a dazzling kaleidoscope of humanity, and the Church has the privilege of providing Christ-like leadership for followers of Jesus in the midst of ethnic diversity. Both within Canada and in foreign settings, leaders are called to minister with intelligence and sensitivity to intercultural communities. This course will address the growing needs for leadership development and training in cross-cultural settings. Based on biblical, historical, anthropological and practical perspectives, lectures will focus the attention of students on their personal leadership development, the training of others, and general leadership strategies for world evangelization.
CCM 667 - Intercultural and Personal Adjustments (3 hrs.)
Assists individuals to understand some of the personal issues, as well as family realities, which must be faced in order to enter and minister effectively in a new cultural context. Aspects of transition theory, initial identification and acculturation will be dealt with in depth through readings, discussion and field practice. As a primary learning activity, students will engage in an ethnographic study of a cultural setting different from their own. They will practice culture learning tools and some basic language learning techniques. They will also gain understanding of their own cultural background.
CCM 668 - Spiritual Conflict & Personal Spirituality (3 hrs.)
Christian spirituality is the experience of walking with the triune God, in the company of other "pilgrims", intentionally practicing and celebrating the spiritual disciplines. Christians throughout the centuries have practiced spiritual disciplines, practices which put them in a place where God can transform them, free them from the grip of cultural biases and enable them to face spiritual conflict. The course will focus on the reality of spiritual conflict in various cultural situations and the critical need for godly discernment.
CCM 669 - Urban Mission (3 hrs.)
Given that the vast majority of people in this world live in urban environments, many of them mega-cities, this course seeks to understand the dynamics of evangelism and church development within such complex environments. In addition, some attention is given to developing a ‘theology of the city’ and considering various strategies to use positively the urban reality for church development.
CCM 671 - Quran in the Light of the Gospel (3 hrs.)
This course is a careful exploration of the contents of the Qur'an by reading completely through the Muslim scripture in translation. On the basis of a reading of one tenth of the Muslim scripture each morning, each afternoon will facilitate reflection on the contents of the reading from a Christian perspective. More than any other source, the Qur'an has formed the basis of life, law and language for the Muslim community. A good knowledge of this book is indispensable for anyone who wants to understand the Islamic world-past or present. Only after a realistic knowledge of the contents can the reader develop an appropriate response. The course will devote special attention to the major themes of the Qur'an. The traditional concepts of the chronology of the materials in the Qur'an will also be covered, as well as the way in which Muslim exegetes and other scholars have connected the words with incidents in the story of Muhammad; and doctrinaire claims which Muslims make for the Qur'an and how it came together. Passages which challenge biblical faith, and others which seem to support gospel witness, will be highlighted and discussed.
CCM 672 - Biblical Theology of Religions (3 hrs.)
The central message of the Bible is that God showed his great love for all people in the redemptive death of Jesus. Jesus is the unique Saviour and Lord of humankind. This message is good news for people of all cultural and religious backgrounds. However, popular philosophies have made Christians hesitate to proclaim this message with a proper confidence. This course examines the biblical materials which help us think about world religions; applies central biblical truths to an evangelical concern for evangelism and mission; and demonstrates how the foot of the cross is indeed the place of reconciliation for the diverse peoples of the world. The course also incorporates a religious studies component to lend a touch of realism to how we speak about world religions. A thorough knowledge of both the Bible and religions is the best place from which to evaluate religious pluralism and other popular philosophies of the present day.
CCM 695 - Integration and Practicum (3 hrs.)
Each student is required to participate in minimally a two - three week cross-cultural ministry experience during the program. As part of the course there will be sessions explaining missiological research methods. The student will be expected to prepare a 15 to 20 page integration paper upon completing the cross-cultural ministry experience and explain his or her philosophy of cross-cultural ministry, key principles they observed, experienced and learned through this ministry, and define the leadership model which they believe is biblical, adapted to their personal gifts and talents, and works in the cross-cultural setting.
CCM 743 - World Religions and the Gospel  (3 hrs.)
This course will examine the historical origins, beliefs, and practices of major world religions with the purpose of analyzing the impact of the worldview generated by each faith group. A general introduction to the study of world religions will be followed by a structural survey of Animism, Hinduism, Buddhism, Islam, Orthodox Christianity, Sikhism and New Age. The course will approach the subject matter from an emic anthropological viewpoint. Each religious group will be examined in detail as if the student were living within that religious context.
CCM 800 - Directed Studies (3 hrs.)
CCM 810 - Graduate Research Essay (3 hrs.)
If a student chooses not to take the thesis option or his or her gpa is insufficient to permit it, then a graduating essay will be written. This will be forty pages (exclusive of bibliography and outline) and demonstrate a solid grasp of missiological research methods. Each student’s proposal must be approved by the MACM program committee.
CCM 830 - Research Writing (1 hrs.)
Students taking or considering taking the thesis option should enrol in the thesis seminar during the fall semester of their final year. This seminar helps them understand the nature of thesis work and helps them develop a thesis proposal.
CCM 831 - Thesis (3 hrs.)
CCM 832 - Thesis (3 hrs.)
CCM 833 - Thesis (2 hrs.)
A number of prominent current social and moral issues in western culture are examined. These include ethical relativism, the question of the objectivity of moral truth, foundations of morality, tolerance, and specific moral topics such as euthanasia, genetic engineering, gay rights, environmental ethics and animal rights.
Prerequisites: CAP 550; CAP 560
CCM 834 - Thesis Continuation (3 hrs.)
A number of prominent current social and moral issues in western culture are examined. These include ethical relativism, the question of the objectivity of moral truth, foundations of morality, tolerance, and specific moral topics such as euthanasia, genetic engineering, gay rights, environmental ethics and animal rights.
Prerequisites: CAP 550; CAP 560